Two new square-planar Ni(II) complexes, [NiL 1 (NCS)] (1) and [NiL 2 (N 3 )] (2) have been synthesized with the unsymmetrical tridentate Schiff base ligands [(CH 3 ) 2 NCH 2 CH 2 N=C(CH 3 )CH=C(OH)(C 6 H 5 )], L 1 H, derived from benzoylacetone and 2-dimethylaminoethylamine and [(CH 3 CH 2 ) 2 NCH 2 CH 2 N=C(CH 3 )CH=C(OH)(C 6 H 5 )], L 2 H, derived from benzoylacetone and 2-diethylaminoethylamine, respectively. The complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, electrochemical and thermal methods (where applicable). Structures have been established by the single-crystal X-ray diffraction technique which reveals the discrete nature of the complexes in which the metal centers adopt a distorted square planar geometry. Coordination environments of the metal ions in the complexes are satisfied with two different unsymmetrical Schiff base ligands having similar N 2 O donor sets and a terminal pseudohalide anion (thiocyanate for 1 and azide for 2).